This invention relates generally to a manually operated dual trigger sprayer, and more particularly to such a sprayer having an externally mounted mixing manifold for combining separate liquids issuing from the sprayer upon sprayer actuation.
Dual trigger sprayers are known having a pair of side-by-side pistons operating in side-by-side pump cylinders for simultaneously drawing liquids separately stored and discharging the liquids through separate discharge passages issuing as separate sprays from the sprayer assembly for intermingling at or on the target. Examples of such sprayers can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,591, FIG. 6, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,950, FIG. 10. Otherwise, the dual liquids are combined internally of the sprayer assembly at or upstream of the sprayer nozzle for commingling in a spin chamber or the like prior to discharge as a combined spray through a single discharge orifice in the nozzle. Examples of such sprayers can be found in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,591 patent, FIG. 10, in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,950 patent, FIG. 9, and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,694.
It has been found that commingling of disparate sprays at or on the target may be ineffectual as the outer fines of each spray become airborne before they can possibly be entrained into the center. This is due to the outer edge of each spray cone having the highest velocity compared to the velocities of the spray particles nearer the center. This, therefore, results in incomplete mixing of the dual spray liquids which is undesirable and could be harmful depending on the chemical nature of the sprays combined.